Who Gets What?

The Indiana Forest Alliance wants to preserve these natural assets while gaining for our state the highest possible revenues from harvested trees.

Rae Schnapp, Ph.D., a lifetime student of rivers, forests, and the outdoors in general, describes these efforts as well as how net profits of tree sales are overstated because costs of forest management, pest control, road maintenance, and administration, are not deducted from revenues, but are paid by line items in the state budget.

Pete Dunn was a financial adviser before graduating from Hanover, having earned his Series 7 stock brokers license. He made money day trading while entertaining as a stand up comedian.

Pete's work, the best John has known. is syndicated in many Gannett newspapers, and through a personal blog, podcast, and You Tube episodes.

Although we focused on his personal and professional life, we heard these gems: "Hit The Match" "I am a fixer." "No, I am not anti debt, perhaps not even frugal." "Earliest money is the best money." "Drive your car into the ground."

"Match Support Specialist" Rodney Ferguson (now known as "Senior Mentoring Relationship Specialist") has been creating and nurturing relationships since 2013.

How does a volunteer "Big" meet a "Little?" That topic plus other information about Big Brothers, Big Sisters, of Central Indiana, is well covered in Rodney's charming descriptions of his personal life and professional accomplishments, especially the story of one young man who went from tragedy to success in this fine mentoring program.

Farmer, trade group leader, development expert, consultant about servant leadership, Phil Anderson reflects on opportunities found in small Indiana towns. (He has visited all of them. Yes. All!)

Phil's firm is Re Think, Doing Outside the Box. "Constant persuasion mode," "followers chose leaders; we only can decide to serve," "small towns must be wired," "allow new ideas to ruminate," and tourism/community development in Metamora, are highlights of this conversation.

Jeff Sparks, founder of the writer's camp called The New Harmony Project, founder of The Heartland International Film Festival, and recently a promoter/coordinator of a new criminal justice center, reflects on how stories affect culture.

Jeff's Book, "Changing Culture Through Stories," is described.

Creating a redistricting commission in Indiana is a goal of Common Cause Indiana, headed by Julia Vaughn, with whom John and Morton discuss negative effects of gerrymandered districts in the context of the 2018 midterm elections.

Along the way we hear about the "guillotine of data," and Governor Holcomb's 2016 pledge to reform the system.

During a flurry of idle chatter, John and Morton exchange thoughts about Bingo, The Lottery (very bad for kids), amending the Indiana constitution (very bad, too much clutter), making ATMs into gambling machines, negotiating improvement in a private road, and wasteful spending by a neighborhood.

If that were not enough, the two old men then conclude that in Indiana, change is impossible.

Irena Goloschokin left Russia in 1989 with $90. Now she is a successful, honored, Indianapolis businesswoman who supports her adopted community through public radio and The New World Youth Orchestra, among others. Meanwhile, she helps to manage Copper Mountain Technologies and its award-winning product, the vector network analyzer (which tests radio frequency devices.)

Morton and John talk gerrymandering with former Indiana Supreme Court Justice Theodore Boehm. Topics considered are term limits, early decisions about apportionment, inherited seats, how "fairness" may be measured, and how gerrymandered districts favor election of persons with radical (not centrist) points of view.

During "Sound Off," John talks about the profound effects of The Heartland International Film Festival.

Mollianne Cameron, with her husband Russell, and their children Cavan and Clara, wrote, produced, edited, directed and distributed "Lakota Girls," an historical drama about Indian life, racial prejudice, and lasting friendship.

The film will appear on major, national platforms.

Subjects considered in this interview are family, learning to make a feature film, film festival submission criteria, the origin of story, The Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, and prospects for earning a return on investment.